moobe



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shet 2,

' M. MOORE.

CORN HARVESTBR.

97 915 1; J ambn Moore Patented Dec, 29

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet a) M. MOORE. CORN HARVBSTER.

No. 466,018. Patented 13620.29, 1891.

NITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

MARION MOORE, OE AMANDA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO sAMU L METTLER,WILLIAM H; MOORE, AND JAMES c. BARR,'OF sAME PLACE.

CORN-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 466,018, dated December29, 1891.

Application filed December 24, 1890. Serial No. 375,673. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, MARION MOORE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Amanda, in the county of Fairfield and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Corn-Harvester, of which the following is aspecifioation.

This invention has relation to corn-harvesters; and the objects in vieware to provide a machine of cheap and simple construction that willharvest the corn, bundle the same into shocks, and which will spread thebases of the shocks so that they will readily stand after formation.

Various other additional minor features will hereinafter appear in thefollowing description, and the novel features of the invention will beparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to thedrawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a harvester constructedin accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, themachine being in the act of delivering a shock. Fig. 3 is a frontelevation of the machine while in operation. Fig. 4 is a longitudinalsection between the gathering-arms. Fig. 5 is a vertical transversesection. Fig. 6 is a detail in horizontal section of the shockcradle.Fig. 7 is a plan of the machine, the shock-cradle and elevator removed.Fig. 8 is a detail of the cranked cutter-shaft.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

In practicing my invention I employ a transversely-disposed oblongframe, comprising a front bar 1, a rear bar 2, and opposite end bars 3,connecting the front and rear bars, and to the former are secured theinner ends of a series of short bars 4, connected by a front bar 5,extending to one side of the adjacent end bar 3, and connected by arearwardlydisposed end bar 6 to the corresponding end of the rear bar 2,and flush with the top of bars 3, 5, 6, and 2 is mounted a platform orcovering 7. The front and rear bars are connected near their middle by apair of rearwardlydisposed bars 8, which are in turn connected by atransverse bar 9'. Secured to the under side of the frame work is thedraft-pole 10, of usual construction.

Upon a shaft 11, located at the left-hand side of the machine, ismounted for rotation posed shaft 19, through the medium of a pin- 7 ion20, mounted on the shaft 19 and driven by the gear. The shaft 19 isprovided at its front end with a bevel-pinion 21, which engages anddrives a similar pinion 22, located at the inner end of atransversely-disposed cutter-shaft 23, mounted in suitable bearingslocated at the front of the frame-work. The cutter-shaft near its endsis provided with cranks 24, and loosely connected at their centers tothese cranks are right-angularly-bent plates 25, to the lower ends ofwhich are secured cutters or chopping-blades 26 outwardly and slightlyupwardly disposed. The upper ends of the plates are hinged to the upperends or pairs of straps 27, the lower ends of the strapsbeing hinged, asat 28, to the front bar of the frame-work.

Between the knives the shaft is covered by a forwardly-disposed platform29, in the outer corners of which are journaled a pair of verticalrotatable shafts 30, having pinions within the platform meshing with anddriven by worms 31 of the cutter-shaft. A similar pair of shafts 30 aresecured to the front of the platform at eaclnside of the first-mentionedpair, and are also provided with gears engaged and driven by worms uponthe cutter-shaft. Each of the vertical shafts 30 is provided near itsupper end with a beveled pinion 33, and the two inner shafts at theirupper ends above the pinions with radial gathering-arms 31.

In front of each of the vertical shafts 30 is secured an L-shapedstandard 31, the outer ends of which are upturned and each end providedwith abearing-opening 32. In each of the opposite bearings of eachstandard is mounted for rotation an inclined spiral feedshaft 33, theupper ends of the shafts extending beyond their bearings and thereprovided with small pinions 34, engaged with and driven by the pinionsof the shafts 30. The two central L shaped standards have theirhorizontal branches converged toward each other and connected, so thatthey combine with the outer L'shaped standards to form converging guidesfor guiding the stalks of corn to the cutters or choppers, after whichthey are caught by the revolving arms of the shafts and thrown upon theendless carrier, which I will now proceed to describe.

designates a pair of opposite inclined side bars of an endless carrier,between the upper ends of which, between their lower ends, and betweenthe outer ends of the front and rear bars 1 and 2 are mounted rolls 36,over which pass opposite endless chains 37 and an endless apron 38,designed to receive the stalks as deposited by the radiatinggathering-arms and elevate the same over the discharge end of theelevator. The central roll of the rolls 36 has its shaft extended inrear of the bar 2 and there provided with a pulley 37, which is drivenby a short endless belt 38, leading from a pulley 39, mounted upon therear end of the shaft 19.

4:1 designates a movable platform or table provided at one side with ahinged arm 42 for supporting the cradle while being filled, as willhereinafter appear, said platform being mounted upon the fixed platform7 at one end or side of the machine, and being connected at the inneredge of the same to the bar 3 by a pair of straps 43, pivoted at theirouter ends to the platform 41, diagonally disposed to the rear of themachine and pivoted at theirrearends to the bar 3. The platform *1 islocked in position by means of a spring catch 44, which takes over theunder edge of the hinged arm 42, which latter at its extremity isprovided with a notched standard or saddle 45, which supports the smallend of the cradle, hereinafter described, and at the outer rear cornerof the platform is located a swiveled rotatable key The mechanism justdescribed is designed to support in a movable manner the cradle in whichthe shock is formed subsequent to the delivery of the stalks by theelevator over its delivery end into the cradle. The cradle consists of acentral beam 46, provided with a transverse restbar 47 to steady it, thefront end of the central beam terminating in a rounded tenon or head 48,removably connected by spring 50 with the outer end of a swinging bar4:9, pivoted to the front bar 5 of the frame-work. Behind the transversebar 47 a recess is formed in the under side of the bar 46, and thereinlocated is a loose roller 51. The cradle consists of two halves 52 of aconeshaped cylinder, hinged at their lower edges, as at 53, to theopposite sides of the bar 16, one-half of said cylinder being providedat its upper edge with a hinged door 54, designed to form a continuationof the cradle when locked in position by means of a pair of hooks 55,secured to the opposite section. The cylinders are adjusted so as toopen and close by a U-shaped bail 56, pivoted at its center transverselyin the bar 46 and having its opposite branches inwardly turned to bearagainst the opposite cylinder-sections. In front of the bail and in theunder side of the bar 46 is formed an oblong socket 57,

adapted to fit loosely over the upper end of the swiveled keytti Betweenthe cylindersections there is secured to the upper side of the beam 46 avertical partition 58, to the front edge of which is hinged at oppositesides a pair of semicircular wings 59, having hinged near their outerends a pair of straps 60, which straps are loosely pivoted at theirinner ends opposite the front end of the partition to the front end of arod 61, adapted to operate the wings by spreading them laterally fromthe partition or folding them substantially in line therewith. At oneside of the beam 46 asmall basket 62 is located, and in bearings 63 uponthe upper side of the beam is mounted a windlass (it to receive thetying-cords from the basket.

In operation, after the stalks have been fed to the cutters, cut, anddelivered upon the endless apron they are carried by said apron over thedelivery end of the same, where they are dropped into the cradle, thedoor of which is swung back and the sections of which are separated orswung open, so as to admit the stalks. The wings 59 are set so as toextend laterally from the partition, and the partition serves thefunction of equalizing the distribution of the stalks to the oppositecylinders. The butts of the stalks become disposed in a circle aroundthe edges of the wings and are thus spread or diverged from the centerof the shocks, so as to form a flared base upon which the shock cansafely rest after its formation and withdrawal from the cradle. Bypulling the rod the wings 59 are opened, and by pushing the rod it,through the medium of the connecting-bars G0, which are hinged both tothe rod and wings, serves to close or swing the wings together in thedirection in which the rod travels. During the operation of forming theshock the wings are spread, but after the shock has been formed they areclosed. After a sufficientquantity of stalks has been deposited in thecradle, the binding-cord is passed around the end of the same, which, itwill be observed, projects beyond the small end of the cradle, and bymeans of the Windlass said bindingcords are drawn taut and their endstied, after which they are cut and the operation of delivering the shockbegins. The attendant grasps the handle 47 of the keel-piece or rib ofthe cradle and draws the same with the platform and cradle to the rearand to the right, and the cradle is then turned'so that the broad end ofthe cradle is toward the carrier. lVhen moving to this position, thekeel-piece swings upon thepivot 46*, and the bar or arm 4-9, swingingrcarwardly upon its pivot, reaches aposition nearly in line with thekeel and automatically disengages at its hook end with the rounded endof the keel. In the movement of the cradle the small end thereof issupported by the hinged bar 42 in the cradle, at the free end of whichrests the roller on the under side of the rib. After reaching theposition mentioned above, the movements of the cradle and bar 42 arecontinued until the small end of the cradle is to the front, at whichtime the roller of the keel thereof leaves the saddle of the arm 42, andthe movement of the cradle serves to ride the roller and small end ofthe cradle up the inclined guide 65, so that the cradle is inclineduntil the rounded end of keel thereof rests upon the ground, the keelpointing toward the opposite side of the machine, after which the cradleand the shock are lifted to a vertical position. The cradle is nowremoved from the shock, which latter is left standing, and the partsreplaced.

From the above it will be observed that I am enabled to construct acomparatively cheap and simple machine, adapted to automatically gatherthe stalks, chop the same, deliver the stalks upon an apron and thenceinto a shock-forming cradle, and finally deliver the stalks from thecradle, all in one continuous uninterrupted operation. It will also benoticed that the knives are outwardly and upwardly disposed, so thatthey cut upon an incline and in an upward direction away from the rootsof the stalks, and hence have a tendency to facilitate a completeseverance, more so than when chopping down, which is liable, providedthe knives are not in prime condi-- tion, to mash the stalks or bendthem to the ground.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim is- 1. In acorn-harvester, the combinatiomwith.

a horizontal cutter-shaft, means for operating the same, cranks formedin the shaft, cutterplates hinged at their centers to the cranks andloosely connected at their rear ends to the frame-work of the machine,horizontal knives secured to the lower edges of the cutter-plates, andgears mounted on the cuttershafts, of a series of vertical rotatableshafts mounted in suitable bearings, provided at their lower ends withgears engaged and driven by the gears of the cutter-shafts, pinionsmounted on the upper ends of the shafts and gathering-arms mounted abovethe pinions, an L-shaped standard secured in front of each verticalshaftand provided at its ends with bearing openings, and spiral shaftsmounted in the bearing-openings of the brackets and each provided at itsupper end with a beveled pinion engaged and driven by the gear of itsadjacent vertical shaft, substantially as specified.

2. In a corn-harvester, the combinatiomwith the cylindricalshock-forming cradle, a central partition therein, of apair of wingshinged to the opposite sides of the partition, and rods for operatingthe wings, so as to spread or fold the same, substantially as specified.

3. I11 a corn-harvester, the shock-forming cradle comprising a centralbar or keel and opposite semi-cone-shaped sections of a U- shaped bailpivoted at its center transversely in the keel and having its terminalsembracing the opposite exterior surfaces of the sections, substantiallyas specified.

4. In a corn-harvester, the combinatiomwith the framework, a platformloosely mounted thereon, an arm pivoted at one end to the f ram e-work,and a pair of arms pivoted to the frame-work, diagonally disposed andpivoted to the platform, of a swiveled stud mounted in the platform, akeel-bar having a socket fitting the stud and adapted to be removablyconnected to the pivoted arm, opposite hinged sections connected to thekeel, and means for locking the sections together, substantially asspecified.

5. In a corn-harvester, the combination of the frame work comprising thestationary table 7, the bar49, pivoted at one side of the table andhaving the spring-clip 50, the sliding platform 41, the straps 43,pivoted at their outer ends to the outer edge of the movable platformand at their inner ends to the frame Work and diagonally disposed, thehinged bar 42, secured to the movable platform, the swiveled stud 46*,mounted in the outer edge of the movable platform, the rib 46, providedatone end with a head or tenon adapted to engage with the spring-clip 50and provided on its under side with a roller and a socket, the lattermounted upon the swiveled stud, the opposite hinged semi-coneshapedsections, means for locking the same, and the curved guide-rods,substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with the frame-work, the platform 7, the movabletable mounted thereon, and the straps loosely connecting the table andframe-Work, of the cradle havinga keel pivoted on the table and providedwith a rounded head at one end, and the bar 49, pivoted to theframe-Work and terminating in the hook 50 for engaging the head of thekeel, substantially as specified.

'7. The combination, with the frame-work, the fixed platform, and themovable table thereon, of the diagonally-disposed straps connecting theframe-work and table, the hinged arm 42 at one side of the table, theswiveled stud 46*, mounted on the movable table, and the shock-formingcradle removably mounted thereon and supported remov ably at one endupon the hinged arm, substantially as specified.

8. In a corn-harvester, a shock-forming cradle consisting of twooppositely-hinged cylindrical sections and means for locking saidsections together, one of the sections having a door 54, designed toform a continuation of work to be engaged by the socket, as set forth.

11. In a corn-harvester, the combination, with the oppositelyhingedsections forming the sl1oek-cradle, of a central partition locatedtherein, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARION MOORE. \Vitnesses:

HENRY BALLHASER, LEVI CLARK.

